Papier Mache Advice?

Tue Mar 31, 2009, 7:18 AM

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Alright, so the lesson I am planning to do with my middle schoolers after spring break is one on making papier mache kokeshi dolls. Right now I have two forms done, and a layer of papier mache on each. Now it has been a looooong time since I did papier mache, so I am looking for tips or help. Basically my problem is this....I need them to be a little smoother than they are. Is the nature of papier mache just lumpy though? Should I just deal? Or is there a way to get smoother papier mache without using the paper pulp stuff? The supplies we have is newspaper, school paper towels, tissue and the Elmers papier mache paste. Also I only have max, two weeks for this project, which inlcuding planning and painting.

My papier mache is drying really slowly too, so at this rate I can forsee problems when we try to come back and paint the forms the next day after our final papier mache layer. Anyone have any tips on drying? Any other random papier mache tips would also be helpful at this point too.

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~2ndgatewaytonowhere Mar 31, 2009, 12:54:41 PM

I know that if you cut the news paper into strips or rectangles at different sizes, (instead of kind a squishing them in lumps) and lay them flat across a mold (are you using molds? If you are, Styrofoam with some Vaseline slapped on it works well). Also try to use a small number of layers of newspaper. About 3 or 4 layers should be okay.

>.> am I of much help?

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~2ndgatewaytonowhere Mar 31, 2009, 1:02:17 PM

ELMERS GLUE. there be problems with that.

The glue normally is too thick, so dilute it water.

I know also, that there be paper mache glue out there, that you dilute a lot, so you get tubs and tubs of it. It feels like oil when you use it. I can get back to you about the glue, I'm using it in making the sets in my school play.

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~thekyrianne Mar 31, 2009, 3:14:42 PM

I've always papier mached with a gluey paste (made out of water and some sort of papier mache powder, can't remember what exactly it's called) and with strips of newspaper. If you don't oversaturate the strips, then it usually dries within a few hours.

As for keeping the shape of the sculpture, wire armatures and balled up newspaper taped on as "muscles" (or any other form you would need) works nicely.

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~Tsukiyono-Miyu Mar 31, 2009, 4:01:13 PM

Well, we aren't using molds...they are going to construct base forms out of newspaper and toilet paper tubes and whatnot, then applying papier mache over that.

Also on the glue front I should have made it clear that we HAVE to use the papier mache paste that the school already has. Sadly we do not have the luxury to but extra stuffs, and as a student teacher I am poor poor poor. However the Elmer's paste seems to be doing well and dries faster than the wallpaper paste I was experimenting with.

Anyway thanks for the input.

~Tsukiyono-Miyu Mar 31, 2009, 4:04:08 PM

I probably should have specified, but I HAVE to use the supplies that the school has readily available. There is no money to buy other supplies, and I am too poor to foot the bill myself.

Anyway I suspect the paste we are using is the same one you described, because I mixed it up from a powder. Thanks for the advice though.

~AndreaHarper Mar 31, 2009, 6:08:45 PM

To speed drying time, try a hairdryer, or a warm window.

Which I am sure you already know.

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~Tsukiyono-Miyu Mar 31, 2009, 7:29:16 PM

Yeah, I just wish we had some warm windows. Maybe I'll get lucky and we'll have warmer weather next week when they are papier mache-ing.

~AndreaHarper Mar 31, 2009, 7:38:59 PM

Or you could ask all your students to find hairdryers and bring their own.

--
"Stev, destroy!" ~Girl Genius, Volume IV
"L’enfer c’est les autres" (Hell is other people.) ~Jean- Paul Sartre
Before you ask, I am insane, peopleses. Very insane, you have been warned.
Avatar and Literature Tag thanks to Bodici22